Wagon-loading device



C. N. PRATT.

WAGON LOADING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OC'HZ], I9I6- I 71,335,699. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

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c. N. PRATT. WAGON LOADING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. 19-16.

Patented Mar. 30 1920.

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CHARLES NORMAN PRATT, OF WAWASET, PENNSYLVANIA.

WAGON-LOADING DEVICE.

Application filed October 27, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs NORMAN PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wawaset, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wagon- Loading Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wagon loaders.

The object of the invention is to provide means for loading the contents of railway cars into wagons, without the use of shovels, or other manually operated means.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for quickly loading wagons or other vehicles from railway cars without any waste of material, means being provided whereby contents of the cars are directed into the wagon and controlled when the said wagons have become filled, said means comprising a hopper provided with a well or depression therein and an outlet opening therefor by means of which the contents of the hopper may be directed and controlled.

A further object is toprovide a baffle board arranged within said well or depres sion above the outlet opening and hingedly connected along one edge thereof to one of the walls of the depression and novel adjusting means hingedly connected at the opposite edge of the board for adjusting the angle of the same, the location of said adjusting means providing means for strengthening the board along its free edge so as to obviate the danger of breakage due to the contact of the material therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this class which is of cheap and simple construction and which may be operated by one man.

With the above objects in view the in V vention consists of a preferably rectangular casing forming a hopper for the reception of the contents ofa railway or other car, outlets to the said hopper for directing the contents into the body of a wagon, inclines for directing the contents through the outlets, the said inclines being provided with removable bottoms whereby the contents may be screened as it is loaded, adjustable baflle boards for directing the contents to the said screens,

' and spring actuated slides for the said out lets.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a railway car of the gondola type with the improved Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Serial No. 128,096.

wagon loader in position, and illustrating a portion of the wagon beneath the said loader ready to be loaded;

Fig. Zis a top plan view of the loader; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 4: is a central longitudinal sectional tangular casing 1, of a size sufficient to be placed transversely beneath a railway car in a manner to rest upon the traction'rails. The casing or boX 1, is provided with a floor from. which extends downwardly through openings arranged in spa-cedrelation, hop.- pers A and B that are arranged in such spaced relation as to provide beneath the floor and the rails upon which the latter rests, a balanced structure. The casing 1 is also provided with detachable flared sides 2. Each hopper is provided with outlet openings 3, surrounded by a flange collar 4 by means of which a flexible pipe (not shown) may be attached for the purpose of directing. mate-rial from the hopper into a wagon or other receptacle, should such receptacle be located any distance beneath the car. The

openings 3 are adapted to be closed by the slides 5, and are held in such closed position by means of springs 6 attached to the end of the hopper and to the slide. A chain or other flexible member 7 is also attached to the slide, and is passed over a sheave 8 to provide means for manually opening the slide to permit the contents of the hopper to pass through the opening 3. For the purpose of directing the material. to the openings 3 the said openings are located in the vertical face of a well or depression 10 formed in the bottom of the hopper. 'This upon whether the material is crushed stone, coal or ashes, etc.

Located at the top of the well 10 is a baiile board 14L extending transversely across the hopper, and is hinged thereto by means of hinges 15 provided with loose pins 16, in order that said boards may be removed when handling material not necessary to screen. Pivotally attached to the boards 1. at their edges opposite the hinges 15 are bars 17 having their ends provided with notches 18 to engage a stop 19 for the purpose of regulating the inclines of the baiile boards. It desired hooks attached to the battle hoard and engaging eyes upon the inside oi the hopper may be substituted for the rod 17, it not being thought necessary to illustrate this obvious change. When it is unnecessary to screen the material being handled the screens 13 may be removed from the inclined wall 11, and metal covered boards 20 substituted in order to close the opening 12.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention provides a simple and eflicient means for loading wagons or other receptacles from railway cars, in a quick and efficient manner, without waste of material or loss of time.

Various changes in the form and proper tion of the invention may be made as proplation to said casing and projecting downwardly to provide a balanced structure beneath the bottom of said casing and below the rails upon which the bottom of said casing rests, each of said hoppers being provided with a vertical wall having an opening facing inone direction and an inclined-wall having an opening facing in an opposite direction, a closure for each of said openings, and a screen for substitution for the closure in the opening in the inclined wall,

and a baflle board pivotally hung from the floor of the casing that normally lies in a vertical plane in flatwise relation with the vertical wall and that is arranged to be swung over the screen when the latter covers its opening, to direct the flow of material from the casing thereon and means to hold said bathe board in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES NORMAN PRATT. 

